More than Friendship
by OrpheusBladedge
Summary: "It's been too long, my friend..." Richard, the King of Windor, and Asbel, the Lord of Lhant. Two close friends, forever watching each other's backs, trusting each other with there secrets, and being there for each other. But... What are these feelings Richard is keeping, locked up deep inside?


Chapter 1 - Help from a Friend

I sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time today, as the meeting drawled on. The various lords of Windor would constantly do nothing but argue over land, over the Nova Monster situation, over anything they didn't like.

And they expected me to have the answers to everything.

"My lord, I shall not simply stand by as Bjord invades my lands!" Stevens yelled, and I sighed.

Bjord and Stevens have been after each other's lands for years, and it didn't take much to set each other off.

"I am hardly after your lands, Mr Stevens." Bjord said, his tone cold. "I simply sent a squad of soldiers after the Nova Monsters in the area. They did not mean to cross over into your lands."

Stevens snorted.

"You expect me to believe that-" He began, but a strong voice cut through them.

"Enough!"

I smiled softly as Asbel stood up, his mismatched eyes glaring at both the other lords.

"Nothing will get done if you too simply argue!" He said. "Both of you, shut up and let others speak. Keep your petty squabbles to yourselves."

Stevens and Bjord glared at the younger lord.

"How dare you-" Bjord spat, but I cleared my throat and stood.

"Lord Asbel is quite right." I said, my voice silencing all others. "These meetings are to discuss serious issues and act on them. Not border and land disputes."

Both the lords looked away, and I saw Asbel smirk as he sat down.

I smiled slightly at him, eyes conveying silent thanks, and I sat back down.

"Now..." I muttered. "What is the situation of the Nova Monsters in all your regions?"

The results were pleasing, to say the least. The overall rate of attacks have dropped drastically in the last month since we solved the Fodra issue, and the soldiers seemed to do a good job of protecting the towns.

But...

"Asbel, your report?" I asked, and he stood up, a sad look in his eye.

"It seems that my land has had the worst of it." He admitted. "I nearly missed this meeting because of the frequency of the monster attacks, and if it weren't for Sophie and myself, Lhant would have been overrun by know."

The news shocked me. He had never said any of this in his letters, or in our conversations.

I cleared my throat, standing.

"The meeting is over for today. Asbel, you stay behind." I said, and all the other lords stood, bowed, and left.

I walked over to my friend, hand leaning on the table as he stared down, not meeting my gaze.

"Asbel..." I said, my tone neutral. "Why didn't you tell me this was happening?"

He sighed, then he looked up at me.

"I... didn't want to put any pressure on you..." He admitted, and I scoffed.

"Asbel, I'm sure a few extra soldiers in Lhant wouldn't have hurt me or you in anyway." I said, crossing my arms. "So tell me the real reason."

He stared at me, before sighing and looking away.

"I... It's my fault." He muttered. "Lambda explained it to me. There attracted to his eleth."

I cocked an eyebrow, before nodding in understanding. It made sense that Lambda's creations would be attracted to his power, trying to kill anything in order to get back to him.

"Have they only tried to kill you?" I asked, curious.

He nodded, not speaking.

I clicked my tongue, thinking.

"Well..." I muttered. "I can think of two possibilities. One of them being I send more soldiers to Lhant, but if you are drawing them, it would only stall the issue..."

He looked up at me.

"What's the other option?" He asked, worry for his home and family obvious in his eyes.

"You leave Lhant until we find a way to solve this issue." I said, and his eyes widened.

"I... I guess..." He said, looking away again. "But, were would I go?"

I stroked my chin, thinking.

"Anywhere you go, you would just draw more monsters..." I muttered. "Then... the only place, really, is Barona."

He looked up at me, eyes wide.

"Isn't that worse?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"The amount of soldiers here exceeds that of Lhant, and they are used to large amounts of monsters attacking the city, for the valkines." I explained.

He nodded slowly.

"Then... I guess I'll go rent a room at the Inn for awhile." He said, standing up, and I laughed.

"Come, my friend. Do you honestly thinking that I would let you stay at an inn?" I said, clasping his shoulder. "You can stay here, in the castle."

His eyes widened, and he shook his head, holding his hands up.

"I-I couldn't possibly do that, Your Highness!" He said, and I sighed.

"How many times must I say it?" I asked, grinning. "Formality doesn't suit you, old friend."

He grinned as well, rubbing the back of his head, before frowning again.

"I couldn't impose..." He muttered, and I chuckled.

"I insist." I said, and walked out of the meeting room. "Come, I'll show you to your room, and then you can send a message to Lhant."

He nodded slowly, sighing, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"If I'd know you would get so uncomfortable with this, I would have offered earlier!" I said, and he flushed before walking out and ahead of me.

I smiled at him.

"There's the Asbel I know." I muttered, before jogging to catch up to him.

"You have no idea where you're going." I said, and he stopped.

"I..." He said, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I don't."

I chuckled, and guided him to the Royal Quarters.

"This is your room." I said, then pointed at the one next to it. "And that is mine. Tell me if you require anything, I'll either be there or in my study."

His mouth opened, then his eyes widened slightly as he realised something.

"Wait, is this the Royal Quarters?" He asked, and I nodded.

He flushed again.

"I can't stay here! There for royal family members." He said, and I sighed.

"There all empty." I said. "I have no family left, Asbel. Trust me, no one is going to care."

He fell silent, and I sighed.

"Come, Asbel." I said, patting his shoulder. "We should send that message."

* * *

After the message was sent, Asbel came up to me, hand on his sword, and I smirked at him, reading his body language.

"Would you like to spar?" I asked, and he chuckled.

"Was it that obvious?" He asked, and I smiled.

"Not really, I just know you." I said, standing up. "Very well then. No holds barred?"

He nodded.

We went into the ball room, which was the only place big enough for us to go all out, and I draw my rapier.

"Very well. Let's begin." I said, and eleth glowed around me.

"Come rusted blades, draw out the pain!" I cried. "Sword Deluge!"

The dark blades rained down on Asbel, but he was already dashing toward me, hand on his sword.

I dodged his flurry of kicks and punches, retaliating with slashes which he deftly blocked or dodged, and his sword flew out of his sheath, and he caught me full-force with a Demon Fang, which sent me fly back, but I flipped midair and landed on my feet, ether swirling around me.

"Come, ghastly fangs!" I shouted, "Soul Reaver!"

The attack hit clipped him as he tried to dodge, and the drained ether healed my wounds before I dodged another barrage of Demon Fangs.

He sheathed his sword, and I saw my chance.

"Annihilate all who stand before me!" I muttered. "Lightning BLAST!"

The arc of lighting took him by surprise, and he was hit full force by it, but purple fire erupted from him, and his eye glowed with an eerie light.

I smirked, seeing he WAS going all out, and activated my Accel mode as well, runes and ether swirling before me.

"Stand enthralled in your scarlet cell!" I cried, and he dodged to the left a little too early, as I smirked. "Infernal Prison!"

Flaming pillars erupted from the ground and encased him in a pyramid, and I dashed forward, intending to end it.

But before I could, his ether exploded, knocking me off my feet.

"You and me, Lambda! Pierce the skies! Radiant light, strike forth! Divine! Conqueror!"

I felt the Mystic Arte hit me full force, and I slammed against the floor, my vision fading.

"...ard?" I heard Asbel's voice, before I passed out.

_**AN: And that's all for now. Yeah, I don't know why I wrote this, but I really enjoyed it. I've been having a few issue writing recently, massive cases of writers block, so this is a good stress relieving project, since I've been playing a TON of Graces f.**_

_**Thanks for reading, and TILL THE NEXT CHAPTER... Farewell.**_


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